I've just watched a rather interesting documentary on the TV regarding this.

These couples are not blood related, they have completely different biological mothers and fathers however their parents have got together and married so legally they are brother and sister albeit 'step'.

do you think they should have sexual relationships? even go on and get married?

And as far as i'm aware, from what the programme said, it's now illegal for step siblings to have sex under the age of 18 if they live in the same home.

which begs a bigger debate.. why is it legal for a 16 year old to sleep with a stranger? but not someone he/she already knows/trusts?

If they are bought up in a family environment as siblings, then yes until they are legally adults at 18 they should be prohibited from sexual relationships.

Once they are adults they make their own decisions and do what they wish, and if that means getting married, having kids etc, fair enough.

It makes complete sense to not allow them to have sex until 18. Girls usually complete puberty by ages 15–17, while boys usually complete puberty by ages 16–18. While going through puberty people are generally more emotional, so the people you tend to rely on are the people that are close to you, you could quite easily be susceptable to having sex with your step brother or sister because they are there, going through the same thing, and get drawn closer together. So not allowing you to have sex, ensures that you are less likely to be subject to cohersion.

Hmm... first can I ask what's the difference between step and half siblings if any?

If they have the same mother/father IMO sexual relations shouldn't be allowed because of the genetic implications should one or both have a faulty gene. Marriage is a different thing though with marriage usually comes with sexual relations so on that basis I'd say no to that.

The bigger debate of the age limit is almost redundant - yes I agree it shouldn't be one rule for one and one for the other - but how many people pay attention to the law with that regard anyway. I did but I was in the minority...

You can make mistakes in life but it is how you deal with them that makes you a better person or a worse person.

most of the couples on the programme were older when they became step siblings, rather than being raised together.

there was one couple.. she was 15 and obviously still living at home, he was in his early twenties and already married so had left home. Nothing happened between them obviously, until she was older and he was divorced

These couples are not blood related, they have completely different biological mothers and fathers however their parents have got together and married so legally they are brother and sister albeit 'step'.

Hmm... first can I ask what's the difference between step and half siblings if any?

half brothers/sisters share the same mother or father. my son has a half sister.. the product of my husband with his ex partner.. different mothers aka me and the ex.. but same dad so same genes.

Step siblings come about from two people marrying and bringing children from past relationships into the marriage. There is rarely any fostering or adopting.

A half sibling comes about when they bring children in from a previous relationship AND have a child between them. For example, my youngest daughter (her father is Brian) has my older son and daughter (who's father is my ex) as half siblings I am the biological mother of all three.

It's an interesting debate though...

Aly

Lycos Chat Owner

Before you criticise someone walk a mile in their shoes.

That way, when you do criticise them, you're a mile away.... and you have their shoes!

there is no genetic implication on this one - it's already 100% incest for sibling and half-siblings to have sexual relationships, but certain groups are trying to say sexual relations between step-siblings should also be classed as incest.

the first step towards this was the change in law, to the extreme that if step-siblings are found to be having sex at, for example, 17, this not only comes with a prison sentence but also put on the sex offenders register.

imagine if the families were brought together a different way.. at school.. boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy sleeps with girl at age 16, boy introduces girl to his single mum, girl introduces boy to her single dad, the single parents meet.. develop a relationship, whirlwind marriage and at 17 the original boy and girl have now been breaking the law for a year...

I've just watched a rather interesting documentary on the TV regarding this.

These couples are not blood related, they have completely different biological mothers and fathers however their parents have got together and married so legally they are brother and sister albeit 'step'.

do you think they should have sexual relationships? even go on and get married?

And as far as i'm aware, from what the programme said, it's now illegal for step siblings to have sex under the age of 18 if they live in the same home.

which begs a bigger debate.. why is it legal for a 16 year old to sleep with a stranger? but not someone he/she already knows/trusts?

Which documentary was that?

Thats kinda strange...I dont see a problems with step-siblings having what they want - if they really do fall in love, let hem be happy!Its not like they are actually siblings so there cant be any genetic implication, as Lea2975 said....

I'm sorry but I fail to see why step siblings canot have a relationship, marry and in fact go on to have a family together should they so choose - as long as they are of legal age for the country they are in and they are able to understand the implications of their actions, then, where's the problem???

that's the thing see.. why do the groups who deem this incest seem to win?

i've always said you cannot help who you fall in love with, you can meet potential partners anywhere ( prefer supermarkets myself lol) and there is no genetic implication involved if they were to go on to have children.

i guess though it is different if the step-siblings were brought up together from a very young age so were raised as brother and sister.

I've just watched a rather interesting documentary on the TV regarding this.

These couples are not blood related, they have completely different biological mothers and fathers however their parents have got together and married so legally they are brother and sister albeit 'step'.

do you think they should have sexual relationships? even go on and get married?

And as far as i'm aware, from what the programme said, it's now illegal for step siblings to have sex under the age of 18 if they live in the same home.

which begs a bigger debate.. why is it legal for a 16 year old to sleep with a stranger? but not someone he/she already knows/trusts?

I agree with you here. They are not related in any way, there are no biological issues to take into account.

(I do think the age of consent should be raised to 18) But whatever the legal age is, it shouldn't be different just because to unrelated people's parents decided to marry at some point. This is making the desicion for them through no fault of their own. Who is to say, that had their parents not got married at some point, that they wouldn't have grew up, met in a club and started a relationship that way?

It's almost like dictating without dictating.

Apparently so I've just been told, if the two step children in question grew up together in the family house as children, then it is illegal for them to have any sort of relationship.

I agree with you here. They are not related in any way, there are no biological issues to take into account.

(I do think the age of consent should be raised to 18) But whatever the legal age is, it shouldn't be different just because to unrelated people's parents decided to marry at some point. This is making the desicion for them through no fault of their own. Who is to say, that had their parents not got married at some point, that they wouldn't have grew up, met in a club and started a relationship that way?

It's almost like dictating without dictating.

Apparently so I've just been told, if the two step children in question grew up together in the family house as children, then it is illegal for them to have any sort of relationship.

ow can ther be any respect for any one wen u say or others say its ok for 2 step kids whos been bought up in same house be allowed to have a relaisinship i dont no wot planet im from but uts a very differant one from all u lot u cant be serious to think thats normall and ok if i lived with a guy and he had a son and i had a daughter ther wud be no way i wud even think to allow this sort of insest behaviour to take place wen are we going to draw the line here its ok for some of thease youngers ones on this forum who agree with any thing goes type of life but older people and oklder generation can not get the rhead round this i was born in 1966 and this sort of behaviour wasnt around to much then wot it is here is parents breeding kids that no no differant in life i think its shamefull disgusting and u can tell the minds of the younger posters on this forum they dont no ther rights from wrong its getting now wer mum and dad will part and dad will marry daughter and mummarry son thats wo will be next now ill think ill go n have my lie down after reading this post yuk

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if i lived with a guy and he had a son and i had a daughter ther wud be no way i wud even think to allow this sort of insest behaviour to take place

Erm - It isn't incest because incest is the relations between blood relatives and as has already been clarified, they are not blood relatives. What should happen if boy and girl meet in a club and the boys dad and girls mum was single, met and struck up a relationship? Would that be wrong and the boy and girl would have to stop their relationship for their parents to have one?

You can make mistakes in life but it is how you deal with them that makes you a better person or a worse person.

ow can ther be any respect for any one wen u say or others say its ok for 2 step kids whos been bought up in same house be allowed to have a relaisinship i dont no wot planet im from but uts a very differant one from all u lot u cant be serious to think thats normall and ok if i lived with a guy and he had a son and i had a daughter ther wud be no way i wud even think to allow this sort of insest behaviour to take place wen are we going to draw the line here its ok for some of thease youngers ones on this forum who agree with any thing goes type of life but older people and oklder generation can not get the rhead round this i was born in 1966 and this sort of behaviour wasnt around to much then wot it is here is parents breeding kids that no no differant in life i think its shamefull disgusting and u can tell the minds of the younger posters on this forum they dont no ther rights from wrong its getting now wer mum and dad will part and dad will marry daughter and mummarry son thats wo will be next now ill think ill go n have my lie down after reading this post yuk

I didn't say I approved of it, or I felt it was ok...I was clarifying the legal aspect of things, and highlighting an area where the law enters an aspect of life that it shouldn't do.

The latter part of your post is about age gaps, and that is an entirely different topic and has no bearing on this one.

There are certain conditions that would make this type of relationship unwise yes, but there are certain conditions that would make any relationship unwise.

Once again, I am going to ask you to kindly not berate others opinions in the manner that you do, if you continue, you will find your ability to post restricted. Voice your opinion yes, but don't slate other peoples.

ow can ther be any respect for any one wen u say or others say its ok for 2 step kids whos been bought up in same house be allowed to have a relaisinship i dont no wot planet im from but uts a very differant one from all u lot u cant be serious to think thats normall and ok if i lived with a guy and he had a son and i had a daughter ther wud be no way i wud even think to allow this sort of insest behaviour to take place wen are we going to draw the line here its ok for some of thease youngers ones on this forum who agree with any thing goes type of life but older people and oklder generation can not get the rhead round this i was born in 1966 and this sort of behaviour wasnt around to much then wot it is here is parents breeding kids that no no differant in life i think its shamefull disgusting and u can tell the minds of the younger posters on this forum they dont no ther rights from wrong its getting now wer mum and dad will part and dad will marry daughter and mummarry son thats wo will be next now ill think ill go n have my lie down after reading this post yuk

ill agree with hated female in every respect its great to no theres still some decent people in todays society instead of the usual rubish shes a credit to society just like myself

I think it's more of a Personal Moral Issue.If step brothers/sisters live together from a very early age.The question of a relationship/marrage, Would be looked at differently to them that got together later in there lifes.

The Anwer lies in how much flak you are prepared to take, If it's right or wrong to start a relationship.

The younger they are the better as sibbling rivery would kick in, That" Love Hate", Brothers and Sisters have. If there Older then it should not be encouraged. But it may get to an age where there is no leagle reason it can be stopped. Then the moralty question comes into play.

I Think it will be very hard for the sibblings None Blood Relationship, to continue, Because of other peoples moral views, Mostly from people they are related too. Only they will know if there feeling are strong enought to stand together as a couple.

Couples have hard enought time in any normal relationship to survive, Added with other peoples morals aimed against them, there chances are a lot less than a normal couple.

If after all that and it survives then it has to be a very loveing, comitted and stable relationship.

On the whole, I cannot see any moral difficulty here. One does not become "off limits" purely because one's mother or father has decided to set up home with the parent of a potential partner.

I can, however, understand that allowing step-siblings to have a romantic relationship with one another whilst they are under eighteen and living under the same roof might be deemed inappropriate. After all, most parents would not be thrilled at the idea of their thirteen year old daughter moving in with her fourteen year old boyfriend... particularly if they would have to continue living together as a harmonious family unit if the relationship broke down!

Interestingly, sexual attraction is almost unheard of in environments where children - regardless of their genetic relationship to one another - have been raised together from a young age. Studies of unrelated children raised together in kibbutzes or communes found that they grew up to deem repellent the idea of a romantic relationship with the people they had grown up alongside. Psychologically, they had become siblings even though they had not been genetically.

Sadly, of course, this psychological phenomenon can also work the other way around. Adults reunited with blood relatives after having been estranged since one or both were small children can find themselves faced with the problem of being sexually attracted to their relative.... and as we have recently seen, the law does not look kindly on those who act upon these feelings, regardless of mutual consent.

EDIT: Just thought I'd add that it is perfectly legal for step-siblings to marry. It is, however, not legal to marry the child of a former spouse or civil partner, or a child you have legally adopted.

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